Adjustable toggle mechanism



Aug. 9, 1966 A. w. M CLAY, JR 3,254,731

ADJUSTABLE TOGGLE MECHANISM Original Filed Nov. 4, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. 2

INVENTOR ALEXANDER w. McCLAY JR.

BY f zu W ATTORNEYS Aug. 9, 1966 A. w. MccLAY, JR 3,2fi4fi1 ADJUSTABLE TOGGLE MECHANISM Original Filed Nov. 4, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ALEXANDER w. McCLAY,JR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,264,701 ADJUSTABLE TOGGLE MECHANISM Alexander-W. McClay, Jr., 28 Perry St., 'Petersburg, Va.

Original application Nov. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 322,275, now Patent No. 3,191,203, dated June 29, 1965. Divided and this application Feb. 12, 1965, Ser. No. 432,284

7 Claims. (Cl. 24-249) The present invention relates to an improvement in an adjustable toggle mechanism and is a division of Serial Number 322,275 and now Patent No. 3,191,203, issued June 29, 1965, for Scul'ling Support for an Oar, filed November 4, 1963, by the same inventor which is a continuation of Serial No. 109,994, filed May 15, 1961, and now abandoned.

Basically, the improved toggle mechanism is incorporated in a clamping device wherein a pair of grippers are hingedly secured together at one end and are adapted to open at the other end to receive a device to be gripped or clamped. Each of the grippers includes protrusion means at the upper ends in opposed relation, one of the means preferably being a lug and the other a yoke. A pin is hingedly secured to the yoke and is adapted to receive a collar which is positionable along at least a portion of its length; A retaining strap extends from the collar to engage the lug for releasably securing the grippers about the object to be gripped.

A preferred form of the invention also includes resilient means lining the clamping surfaces of the grippers to lend a resilient retaining force to the retaining strap. However, it will be appreciated that the toggle mechanism when in its clamping position applies the clamping force to the grippers but it is readily releasable through pivotable movement to a non-clamping position.

In the clamping position, the restraining strap is disposed to one side of the pivot axis. In the non-clamping position the restraining strap is simply moved to the other side of the pivot axis to permit ready release of the clamped object.

The invention will be described in further detail in connection with its application to a sculling device for accommodating an oar or paddle, the invention serving to positively secure the oar in a selected position and to instantly release the gripping pressure for reorientation or removal of the oa-r.

A feature of the invention resides in the adjustability of the gripping accommodation to permit different sized paddle handles to be gripped and positively retained. This feature is permitted by adjustment of the retaining strap collar along the pin thereby adjustably spacing the upper extremities of the grippers in the clamped position.

The desirability of the adjustable feature of the invention is readily apparent from the application chosen because the sculling device is provided with spaced-apart adjustable stops against which the grippers abut for the push and pull sculling strokes, thus different sized paddle handles may be gripped without altering the feather angle because compensating adjustment may be .made by raising or lowering the adjustable stops. Thus, the invention permits the highly efficient operation of the sculling device regardless of shaft diameter.

With the foregoing in mind, it is among the objects of the invention to provide an improved gripping mechanism which will positively secure an oar or paddle or the like in a selected position, but which may be instantly released.

A further object of the invention is the provision of such a mechanism which may be readily adjusted to accommodate various sized shafts to be gripped.

The invention will be described in further detail in 3,264,701 Patented August 9, 1966 "ice connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation showing the mechanism of the invention in clamped position;

FIG. 2 is a similar view of the invention showing its application to a different sized shaft and with the mechanism being oriented toward its clamping position;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the device of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 shows the device in FIG. 2 in end elevation, as oriented to its vertical position.

The toggle mechanism is supported by a pair of integra-l upright opposing lugs 11 and 13 having opposing journals to receive pin 17 which pivotally supports the paddle clamp .19. This clamp is comprised of a pair of grippers or angle irons 21 and 23 respectively having depending sleeves 2'5 and 27 (FIG. 4) which are rotatably mounted about the pin 17. Therefore the gripping irons 21 and 23 are hin-gedly secured to the pin 17.

The inner surfaces of the angle iron are shown coated or equipped with resilient linings 3'1 and 33. The angle irons 2-1 and 23 have-0n their ends opposite the sleeves 25 and 27, a lug 35 and a yoke 37, respectively. The yoke 37 pivot-ally supports a threaded pin or shaft 39 which permits the shaft to swing through an are extending from the top surface of gripping iron 23 to the lug 35 of iron 21. A retaining pin 41 set in the yoke 37 (FIG. 3) forms the pivot axis for the pin or shaft 39.

A retaining strap 43 is loosely carried by a threaded collar or nut 45 which is movable along the pin or shaft 39. This strap is free to pivot relative to the collar 45 and is wider than the yoke 37 (as seen in FIG. 3) and the lug 35 such that it may swing freely over the yoke 37 to grip the lug 35 coming to rest against the upper surface of the angle iron 23.

The retaining strap 43 may be swung to align with the collar 45 so that the latter may be turned along pin 39. Fore and aft locking nuts 47 and 49 are provided on shaft 39 to fix the position of collar 45 once the proper adjustment has been established. As a matter of fact, neither of these nuts is necessary to the operation, but provide ready reference positioning for standard sized shafts adapted to :be gripped within the irons 21 and 23.

In operation, the shaft is disposed internally of the irons 2. 1 and 23 with the latter being firmly pressed against the resilient linings 3 1 and 33. The retaining strap 43 is adjusted by collar 45 along pin 39 until the strap, when engaged with lug 35, may be pivoted beyond pivot point 441 to come to rest, as shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 shows the strap being pivoted in a clockwise direction toward the clamping position.

It is this pivoting action which firmly grips the shaft and causes it to be squeezed by the resilient lining and thus held with its blade orientated in a predetermined direction.

The retaining strap 43 may be readily released from lug 35 by merely swinging pin 39 counterclockwise so that the jaws are quickly opened to reorient the paddle blade or permit change of paddles.

In the particular application herein illustrated, the total clamping mechanism is depicted in use in a sculling device wherein the adjustable stops 51 and 53 may be elevated or lowered, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. These stops are supported by threaded shafts 55 equipped with locking nuts 57. The paddle clamp 19 is adapted to abut one of the stops 51 and 53 during the push stroke and the other stop during the pull stroke. A comparison of FIGS. 1 and 2 shows the compensation afforded by the adjustable stops when different shaft sizes are clamped. For example, in FIG. 1 the shaft diameter may be 1%" and it is desired that the blade (depicted by line 59) be deployed at an angle of 45 from a reference or horizontal line 61. The same blade angle is illustrated in FIG. 2 wherein a 1" shaft is gripped because the stops 51 and 53 have been elevated sufficiently to compensate for the more closed position of irons 21 and 23 of paddle clamp 19. It may also be noted that the collar 45 has been adjusted to different positions along shaft 39;to provide the retaining pressure necessary to each gripping action.

While the preferred form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is apparent that the same is susceptible to other embodiments. Therefore, itlis to be understood that the invention should be limitedonly by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable toggle mechanism adaptedvtoclose and lock a gripping device of a type including an extending lug and an extending opposed yoke, comprising, in combination an elongated pin, means hingedly securing the pin in the yoke to preclude. rotation of the pin' on its own axis; pin receiving means moveably fixed on the pin,-

a retaining strap engaging the pin receiving means offset from the axis of the pin and adapted for connection around the lug, said strap,-when in the connection position around the lug, lying in a plane substantially between.

the means hingingthe pin to the yoke and the pin receiving means.

2. An adjustable togglemechanism adapted to close and lock a device which includes an extending lug and an, extending opposed yoke, comprising in combination, a; threaded pin, means hingedly securing said pin in theyoke to prevent rotation of the pin on its own axis whilev permitting pivoting of the pin through an angle less than 360; pin receiving means threaded onto the pin, a retaining strap comprising continuous means atone end.

thereof extending continuously through the pin receiving means and having its other end adapted for connection around the. lug, said strap when in the connection position around the lug, lying in a plane passing to one side of the means hinging the threaded pin to the yoke and penetrated by the pin.

3. An adjustable toggle mechanism in combination with a clamping device, comprising a pair of grippers hingedly secured together at one end and adapted to open at the other end, one of said grippers including a protruding lug disposed at the opening end, the other of the grippers in cluding a protruding yoke opposed to saidluga pin with a clamping device comprising a pair of angle irons hingedly secured together at one end and adapted to open at the other end, one of the irons including a protruding lug disposed at the opening end, the other of the irons including a protruding yoke opposed to the lug; a threaded pin hingedly secured to the yoke to permit pivotal movement relative to the yoke, but preclude rotation of the pin about its own axis, pin receiving means threaded onto the pin; a retaining strap extending continuously through the pin receiving means and from it to engage the lug for releasably securing the irons about an object to be gripped; and, resilient means lining the gripping surfaces of the irons to provide resilient retaining force for said I strap.

5; An adjustable toggle clamp for receiving and grip-- ping various size paddles,.comprising,. in combination a pair of angle irons disposed in opposed relation; means. hingedly? securing the angle irons at one end thereof; the

opposite ends of the angle-irons carrying respectively a protruding lug and aprotruding yoke. in opposed relation; a pin; means hingedly securing the pin to the yoke in nonrotatable fashion relative vto the pin axisv at a position spaced fromthe angle iron carrying: the yoke;pin receiving means for connection to the pin at locationsalong its. length; a retaining; strap extending continuously through the pin receiving means and adapted tov receive thelug and lie in the spacing between the .hinging, means and the yoke; and, resilient means lining the gripping surfacesv of the angle irons for maintaining pressure on said strap in the recited position.

6. A shaft clamp comprising a pair of gripping members,- each of saidmembers including a pair of substantially flat inner surfaces angularly disposed toward each other, pivot means hingedly connecting the gripping members along a common axis disposed on one side ofthe clamp, means located on the other side of the clamp to contractand latch the gripping. members, said last-mew:

tionedmeans comprising an appurtenance located on one of the grippingmembers, a .spanningmember to tensionally' engage: the appurtenance, a yoke on the other gripping member, athreaded pin 'pivotally held by the yoke for pivotal movement'relative to the yoke but pre cluding rotational movement relative to the pin axis, and

a-block pivotally receiving the other end of said spanning member and threadably receiving saidpin.

7.;A shaftlclamp comprising.two gripping members, each of said members having two substantially flat inner surfaces angularly disposed itoward each other, pivot means. hingedly connecting the members on-a common axis; adjustable toggle latching means carried by the grip ping members opposite the common axisl pivot means,

said-toggle latching means comprising an appurtenance extending from one of the gripping members, yoke and pin appurtenance means on the other gripping member,

a threaded pin hingedly received by the yoke and pin ap-- purtenance means for pivotalmovement only relative to the yoke, said pin means being fixed against rotation relative to its longitudinal axis, loop means adapted for tensionally. engaging said first-mentionedappurtenance,and a block threadably receiving the threaded pin and hingedly receiving the loop means.

References Cited by the Examiner WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner. D. GRIFFIN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN ADJUSTABLE TOGGLE MECHANISM ADAPTED TO CLOSE AND LOCK A GRIPPING DEVICE OF A TYPE INCLUDING AN EXTENDING LUG AND AN EXTENDING OPPOSED YOKE, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION AN ELONGATED PIN, MEANS HINGEDLY SECURING THE PIN IN THE YOKE TO PRECLUDE ROTATION OF THE PIN ON ITS OWN AXIS; PIN RECEIVING MEANS MOVEABLE FIXED ON THE PIN, A RETAINING STRAP ENGAGING THE PIN RECEIVING MEANS OFFSET FROM THE AXIS OF THE PIN AND ADAPTED FOR CONNECTION AROUND THE LUG, SAID STRAP, WHEN IN THE CONNECTION POSITION AROUND THE LUG, LYING IN A PLANE SUBSTANTIALLY BETWEEN THE MEANS HINGING THE PIN TO THE YOKE AND THE PIN RECEIVING MEANS. 